The most exciting features of iOS 4.3 is the addition of the personal hotspot. It allows users to tether their devices to the 3G connection of their iPhone.
Using an iPhone as a personal hotspot, although a new feature for GSM phones, was introduced in iOS 4.2.6 (the current software for the CDMA iPhone 4) jailbroken iDevices have been able to tether for a quite a while using popular tethering apps such as MyWi. Although GPS tethering is a welcomed new additional feature, so that users’ Wi-Fi iPads or iPod Touches can have nearly identical internet and geographical capabilities of the iPhone or 3G iPad.
Prior to being able to do this, the regular WiFi iPad could not get GPS information due to the A-GPS module only being included on the 3G model. Having this feature bundled in is quite handy, especially for those wanting to see quickly where they are on an iPad.
A few things to note here is that the WiFi is location aware through being able to track down by IP address/MAC address on a wireless hotspot. This isn’t 100% accurate and can show you within a few hundred meters, sometimes a few miles, of where you actually are. The GPS data passed on is accurate though and pinpoints where you are within meters.
The only downside is that it isn’t real time, or near real time like the 3G version of the iPad. Instead, it appears that the iPhone passes over the GPS signals about once a minute.
Checkout the video below.
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